The Citizen section of the programme
includes interviews with Roberto Mancini
and Yaya Touré, along with Pablo
Zabaleta’s lowdown on the City squad

wigan athletic
46

The section dedicated to the Latics,
featuring exclusive interviews with
Roberto Martinez, Shaun Maloney and
Mike Pollitt’s guide to the men from Wigan

the fa cup final 2013
20
40
64
94

the road to wembley
Manchester City and Wigan Athletic’s
path to this season’s FA Cup Final
the rise of the finalists
1999 seems like a long time ago...
head to head
The important on-pitch battles to look for
The FA Cup with budweiser 2013
The story of this year’s competition,
Players of the Round and the Ronnie
Radford Award for biggest giant-killer

fa cup history
67

86
92

The complete cup final 100
The best games, goals, substitutes,
stories, first-timers, personalities
and saves in FA Cup Final history
the race to 43
42 different clubs have won 131
FA Cups over the past 141 years
Around the world
Recognising all the overseas-born players
who have graced an FA Cup Final

fa celebrations
wembley90
A numbers guide to Wembley Stadium
and the first Wembley Final
102 fa150
The search to find the Founding Fathers
106 UP FOR THE CUPS
All the Finals from all
The FA competitions

88

North by
Northwest
Both Manchester City and Wigan
Athletic have reserved their best form
for this season’s FA Cup competition.
For City, it is the club’s second Cup
Final appearance in three seasons
following their 1-0 victory over Stoke
in 2011. That was City’s first FA Cup
success since 1969 but that Wembley
win – courtesy of Yaya Toure’s strike
on 74 minutes – provided the spur for
the club’s successful assault on the
Premier League title 12 months later.
Wigan are currently in unchartered
territory. Roberto Martinez’s side
had never reached an FA Cup
Semi-Final before this season, but
the competition itself holds a special
place in the Spaniard’s heart. Back
in 1995 Martinez became the first
Spanish player ever to score in the
competition in a First Round tie
against Runcorn. Both club and
manager have come a long way since
but the Latics boss still has both feet
firmly on the ground.
“Since arriving in England all those
years ago, I have come to appreciate
The FA Cup as the greatest cup

competition in the world for its
tradition and format, and this
season it has provided us with
a special journey,” he said.
This afternoon he has the
opportunity to provide that journey
with a dream ending, although
Manchester City will offer a
formidable barrier at Wembley.
If the pair’s clashes in the Premier
League give us any clues, then
Wigan’s task will be as tough as it
gets. Goals from Mario Balotelli and
James Milner sealed a 2-0 win at the
DW Stadium in November while City
made it a Premier League double last
month when Carlos Tevez struck with
just seven minutes remaining of the
sides’ meeting at The Etihad.
“Tonight was very difficult because
I think they played very well, I’m sure
The FA Cup Final will be different,”
said Mancini after squeezing past
Martinez’s men in April.
With City chasing their sixth FA
Cup crown and Wigan their first at
Wembley this afternoon, events are
likely to be anything but predictable.
www.TheFA.com

THE FA CUP with budweiser 2013 final manchester city v Wigan Athletic

years, whereas first-time Finalists Wigan Athletic are here to cap an historic FA Cup run

Carlos Tevez has netted seven
goals in 12 appearances against the
Latics (all in the Premier League).
The Manchester giants have
scored in each of their last 18 FA
Cup games. Only Chelsea, who City
beat in The Semi-Final, are
currently on a longer scoring run
in the competition (30 games).
Roberto Martinez’s charges have
only conceded one goal in their
last five FA Cup games and only
two overall in this campaign.
However, City have shipped just
one goal in this season’s FA Cup
campaign, a joint-low figure.
Only beaten Semi-Finalists Chelsea
(17) can better City’s haul of 15
goals in The FA Cup this season.
www.TheFA.com

Andre Marriner will complete
a hat-trick of Wembley
Stadium appearances this
afternoon as The Cup Final
referee. The 42-year old has
previously taken charge of
Manchester United v Chelsea
in the 2010 Community Shield
and the Championship
Play-Off Final between Cardiff
City and Blackpool earlier
that year. Marriner was
also fourth official for
the 2011 FA Cup Final.
Joining his team of match
officials are Assistant
Referees Stephen Child
(London FA) and Simon Long
(Cornwall FA) while Anthony
Taylor (Cheshire FA) is the
Fourth Official. Gary Beswick
(Durham FA) will be the
Reserve Assistant Referee.
“It’s a great honour to
be asked to referee The FA
Cup Final, especially as it
coincides with the 150th
anniversary of The Football
Association,” said the
Birmingham official.
“To be involved in The FA
Cup Final is ultimately every
schoolboy’s dream and, as
an occasion, they don’t come
much bigger.
“I’ll approach The Final as
I would any other fixture but
obviously the whole event
is on a completely different
scale as it is the biggest club
game in world football.”
The Chairman of The FA’s
Referees Committee David
Elleray added: “All five

Marriner makes his
third appearance at
Wembley Stadium

selected officials have
shown excellent form for
several seasons and have
a great deal of experience
in important matches.
“Andre has a long and
impressive record of
officiating successfully in
high-profile matches in the
Premier League, FA Cup and

for UEFA and FIFA. He
reaches the pinnacle of his
domestic career with a wealth
of experience which makes
him an excellent choice for
this FA Cup Final in The FA’s
150th anniversary year.”
An interview with Andre
Marriner can be seen at
TheFA.com/TheFACup

Whelan to lead out Latics
Wigan Athletic chairman,
Dave Whelan, has been
given special dispensation
to lead the Latics out
before kick-off today.
Whelan famously broke
a leg in the first half of the
1960 FA Cup Final and was
immediately rushed to
hospital where he was later
informed that his Blackburn
Rovers side had lost 3-0 to

Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Whelan, now 76, said;
“I would like to thank The
FA for giving the club
permission to let me lead
out the team on such an
historic occasion alongside
our manager Roberto
Martinez. It will not only be
a very proud moment for
me, but also for the club and
the whole town of Wigan.”
11 May 2013 Manchester City v Wigan Athletic 13

20 Manchester City v Wigan Athletic 11 May 2013

“We knew it was going to be difficult. The ball
is going to come into the box and you’re going
to have to compete for first balls, second balls
all day, but I thought we did it well.” David Platt,
Manchester City assistant manager

FA Cup Fourth Round

Stoke City 0-1 Manchester City

Attendance: 19,814

“We didn’t take our chances. I’m not saying we
could have won, we were playing the champions
after all, but we could have made it closer.”
Gianfranco Zola, Watford manager

FA Cup Third Round

Manchester City 3-0 Watford

Attendance: 46,821

26
JAN

15
JAN

5
JAN

“We didn’t expect an easy game and
Macclesfield were really strong. They’re
an impressive team, the cohesion between
them is very unusual for this level.”
Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic manager

FA Cup Fourth Round

Macclesfield Town 0-1 Wigan Athletic

Attendance: 5,849

“Bournemouth deserve huge credit over the two
games in the manner they play football. We knew we
had to be very professional, really strong and I couldn’t
be more proud of my players.”
Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic manager

FA Cup Third Round Replay

AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Wigan Athletic

Attendance: 8,890

“I was pleased with Roman Golobart and Angelo
Henriquez on his debut. We’ve spent lots on a
facility to develop young players, now we need to
give them opportunities.”
Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic manager

FA Cup Third Round

Wigan Athletic 1-1 AFC Bournemouth

Attendance: 8,199

The teams Manchester City and Wigan Athletic defeated to reach The Final

ROAD TO
WEMBLEY

ROAD TO WEMBLEY

www.TheFA.com

www.TheFA.com

“Our target at the start of the season was the
Premier League, the Champions League and
The FA Cup. We’ve got to The FA Cup Final
and we want to win it.”
Roberto Mancini, Manchester City manager

FA Cup Semi-Final

Chelsea 1-2 Manchester City

Attendance: 85,621

“I’ve got a dressing room of players who are all
in agreement we’ve come up against world stars.
They are a team that has everything. We tried to
get in them and around them and tried to get near
them, and we couldn’t.”
Garry Flitcroft, Barnsley manager

FA Cup Sixth Round

Manchester City 5-0 Barnsley

Attendance: 46,728

“I thought we had a go, and we didn’t sit back
and defend. We tried to go forward as much as
we could, but they have such good players.”
Neil Warnock, Leeds United manager

FA Cup Fifth Round

Manchester City 4-0 Leeds United

Attendance: 46,849

14
APR

13
APR

9
MAR

17
FEB

“It’s a sense of relief more than
anything, I think it’ll take a few
days to sink in and the realisation
that there will be a Cup Final at
the end of it. To score that first
goal took the pressure off and
let us play our football. We hope
this spurs us on.”
Shaun Maloney, Wigan Athletic

FA Cup Semi-Final

Millwall 0-2 Wigan Athletic

Attendance: 62,335

“I thought the performance was outstanding,
from the keeper all the way through. To come
to Goodison Park, to be able to score three goals
and keep a clean sheet speaks volumes.”
Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic manager

FA Cup Sixth Round

Everton 0-3 Wigan Athletic

Attendance: 35,068

“You know that they’re going to stretch you
and pass the ball and find spare men. If you
can’t get into the right areas to stop them,
you’re going to come a cropper.”
Mark Robins, Huddersfield Town manager

FA Cup Fifth Round

Huddersfield Town 1-4 Wigan Athletic

Attendance: 12,117

THE FA CUP with budweiser 2013 final manchester city v Wigan Athletic

11 May 2013 Manchester City v Wigan Athletic 21

HEAD TO HEAD

Arouna Koné

v

Vincent Kompany

One of the reasons City didn’t defend their 2011-12 Premier League title
was the extended absence of captain Vincent Kompany. The Belgian was
instrumental to last season’s championship. ‘Vinny’, as Roberto Mancini
calls his skipper, joins Sergio Ramos and Thiago Silva as the archetypal
modern centre-back, blessed with power, speed, flexibility and poise on the
ball. Ice cool Kompany succumbed to a re-occurring calf injury just after
the New Year. “We were without Vinny for 60 days. That was very bad,” said
Mancini. The champions dropped ten points during that time.
Arouna Koné, one of 2012-13’s most exciting new faces, is out to torment
the fully-recovered Kompany. Koné joined Wigan from Levante, where he
scored 15 La Liga goals last term. The physical aspect of English football
doesn’t faze the Latics striker. His bulk and single-mindedness help him
bounce even the biggest opponents out of the way. The 29 year old has two
FA Cup goals from three games. “I have never seen a foreign player arrive
in England and adapt so quickly,” said Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.

Let the battles
commence

Where will this year’s Final be won and lost? Sheridan Bird examines the key duels

Sergio Agüero

64 Manchester City v Wigan Athletic 11 May 2013

v

If you ask British central defenders from the last 30
years, they’ll tell you they prefer to grapple with a
big, robust, old-fashioned number nine. That is
why small, nimble, rapid strikers like Sergio
Aguero terrorise all-comers. The Argentinian
pocket-rocket is a defender’s ruin, covering
the ground at alarming speed while being
slippery and elusive at the same time.
Injuries have curtailed Aguero’s impact this
season, but he has still scored three FA
Cup goals from two starts.
Latics captain Gary Caldwell won’t
be scared. The Stirling-born stopper
is vastly experienced. With his
imposing 6ft 1in frame and
anticipatory qualities, Caldwell
is the ideal defensive lynchpin.
“If you have unity and
togetherness you can go a
long way,” says the fans’
player of 2011-12.

Gary Caldwell

www.TheFA.com

THE FA CUP with budweiser 2013 final manchester city v Wigan Athletic

Yaya Touré

v

One is a formidable, freakishly agile giant who won
a Champions League Final with Barcelona. The
other is an unsung, tenacious, former Hamilton
Academical prodigy. But reputation and
history count for nothing on Wembley’s turf.
James McCarthy, 22, is a vital cog in the
Latics midfield. He is also a leader,
despite his age. “James is a unique type
of character on a football pitch. I’m
sure he’ll carry on developing into a top
player at world-class level,” says
Roberto Martinez. The Irishman
keeps the ball moving with judicious,
snappy passing and has the
awareness to stop opposition attacks.
What better test for him than the
rampaging but technically gifted Yaya
Touré, 2012 African Player of the Year?
The Ivory Coast player is built like a boxer
but has the balance of a ballerina. The 30 year
old has already shone in The FA Cup. having
scored the winners in the 2011 Semi-Final
and Final against Manchester United
and Stoke City respectively.

James McCarthy

Roberto Mancini

v

Roberto Martínez

This will be the third consecutive year The FA Cup has been won by a man
called Roberto after Chelsea’s Di Matteo lifted it last year and Mancini the
season before. Former Sampdoria, Lazio and Leicester City forward
Mancini triumphed in the grand old competition when the Citizens beat
Stoke City 1-0 in the 2011 Final. He is a cult hero to fans thanks to his large
scarf, fiery persona and tactical nous. After watching his side beat Wigan in
the April 2013 Premier League game, Mancini said: “For 60 minutes they
played better than us. They play good football.” That wasn’t diplomacy. Like
the rest of us, the Italian boss is a genuine admirer of his Wembley rivals.
Tranquil Spaniard Martinez has performed miracles without denting his
ideology of pleasing football. Wigan’s top-flight survival and this season’s
FA Cup run are built on passing and movement, not muscle and mayhem.
The likeable Catalan is a fan of Mancini’s committed approach. “Every
human is different. If you don’t have passion you are wasting your time.
Mancini’s decisions remain calm and composed,” says Martinez.

www.TheFA.com

11 May 2013 Manchester City v Wigan Athletic 65

90 years of wembley

Whether with two
towers or an Arch,
one of the world’s
most famous
venues is now
90 years old
From the moment the turnstiles
opened for the very first time in 1923
(see over page), it was clear that
there would always be something
special about Wembley Stadium.
Fast forward to today. The design
may have changed, but the iconic
name has remained as Wembley
Stadium and has gone on to host a
diverse array of sports, music and
events that have captivated the world.
The stadium will provide a fitting
tribute to its superb history and
celebrate its 90th anniversary in style.
The Champions League Final is
back in a fortnight and a host of
England matches will electrify
Wembley this year, while summer
concerts and two NFL games will
also underline why Wembley has
been the world’s favourite stadium
for the last 90 years and why it will
continue to be for more to come.
Here’s all you need to know about
Wembley’s 90 year history…
Visit www.wembleystadium.com |
@wembleystadium | www.facebook.
com/wembleystadium